Lumber tallying devices



May 14, 1,957 N. c. MOORE ,7

LUMBER TALLYING DEVICES Filed July 11, 1955 INVENTOFI NELSON C. MOORE AT TORNE Y LUMBER TALLYIN G DEVICES Nelson C. Moore, Quesnel, BritishColumbia, Canada Application July 11, 1955, Serial No. 521,152

4 Claims. (Cl. 33-169) My invention relates to improvements in lumbertallying devices.

The objects of the invention are to provide a device capable of keepinga reasonably accurate tally of the output of a planer or other machinewhich processes lumber of a constant width but of varying standardlength; to provide means for measuring the length of each piece oflumber as it is discharged from the planer without impeding its movementand reducing the machine output, and to provide means whereby the devicemay be quickly adjusted to accommodate a run of lumber which varies inwidth from the the preceding run processed by the machine.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the means for adjustingthe angularity of the extension.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the recording meter plunger.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in each figure.

The numeral 1 indicates an elongated table along which pieces of lumber2 are adapted to be moved endwise. The table is here shown as formingthe delivery table for a planer or similar woodworking machine, aportion of which is shown at 4. Machines of this nature are normallyprovided with discharge rollers, not shown, which would serve to movethe lumber along the table in end to end relation substantially as shownin Figure 1. A fence 6 is provided along one side of the table and theopposite side is provided with a fence 7 which terminates intermediatethe length of said table. At the outer end of the fence 7 an extension 9is mounted for swinging movement in the plane of the table and isprovided at its inner end with a vertical hinge pin 11) and at its outerend with an adjusting screw 12. The screw engages a nut 14 which ispivotally mounted upon the edge of the table and said screw is securedto the extension as at 15 and is fitted at its free end with a lock nut16 and a hand wheel 17. The screw 12 serves to swing the extensionacross the table so that it is disposed at some predetermined angle tothe fence 7 and for this purpose the extension is fitted with a pointer19 which is adapted to read upon a suitably graduated scale 20 mountedupon the table.

The angle I find most suitable for the average length of lumber beingprocessed by planer machines is substantially 175 degrees and in Figure1 this angle is shown as being bisected by a chain dotted line 22.Disposed upon the line 22 is the plunger 24 of a suitable recordingmeter 25 which would preferably be one capable of recording the numberof each length of lumber, say from 6 to 24 feet in length and inincrements of two feet. The oper- Patented May 14, 1957 ating mechanismof the meter 25 is actuated by movement of the plunger 24, but since themeter does not form part of this invention no further description isconsidered necessary. A platform 27 is provided below the plane of thetable 1 to support the recording meter and the plunger 24 is providedwith a stem 28 fitted with a verti-- cal member 29, which memberprojects upwardly through a slot 30 formed in said table. The verticalmember supports at its upper end a slipper 32 which has sliding movementacross the table and is adapted to be engaged by the side edge of thelumber being moved lengthwise of the table. The stem 28 of the plungeris mounted in a sleeve 34 which is fitted with a grub screw 35, so thatsaid stem may be adjusted longitudinally of the sleeve to dispose theslipper in the required position determined by the width of the lumberbeing run through the device. A spring 36 is fitted to the plunger tourge it outwardly of the recording meter. The lengths of lumber aredischarged from the planer in alignment with the fence 7 and are urgedin the direction of the fence 7 by means of a bell crank 37 which ispivotally mounted as at 38. The bell crank is outwardly curved to forman arm 39 and has an arm 40 which is connected to the table by a spring41.

Before a run of lumber is put through the planer, the tallying device isprepared for use by first adjusting the extension 9, so that it isdisposed at an appropriate angle to the fence 7. As previously statedthis angle is de termined by the length of the lumber being run and alsothe amount of movement the plunger is required to make to operate thetallying mechanism of the recording meter. The stem 28 of the plunger isadjusted within the sleeve 34 to position the slipper from the outer endof the fence 2. distance substantially equal to the width of the lumberbeing run. With the planer in operation the lumber is discharged ontothe table with the pieces moving therealong in end to end relation andbeing held in contact with the fence 7 by the bell crank 37. As theleading end of each length passes from the outer end of the fence ontothe extension the slipper 32, which is now bearing upon the adjacentedge of the lumber, commences to move towards the meter by virtue of thefact that said end is now riding up the inclined extension. When theleading and trailing ends of the length are equidistantly spaced fromthe centre of the plunger or the line 22, said plunger will have beenmoved inwardly its maximum distance. The lumber length then forms thebase of a triangle with the adjacent portions of the fence and theextension forming the other two sides of the triangle. The height of thetriangle from the centre of its base to its apex is equal to themovement of the plunger, which in turn is representative of the lengthof the piece of lumber forming the base of the triangle. Thus the meteris caused to record one piece of lumber of that particular length andeach succeeding piece is similarly recorded, so that an accurate tallyis kept of the output of the planer, in other words the several lengthsof lumber delivered along the discharge table, are registered, togetherwith the length of each.

Jhat I claim as my invention is:

1. A lumber tallying device comprising a table along which lengths oflumber adapted to be moved longitudinally, a fence extending along partof one side of said table, an extension extending along said tableadjacent the fence and forming an obtuse angle to said fence, a slippermounted for transverse movement upon the table substantially along aline bisecting the obtuse angle, said slipper being adapted to bear uponthe adjacent edge of a lumber'length being moved past the obtuse angle,said length when its ends are equidistantly spaced from the obtuse angleforming the base of a triangle with the adjoining parts of the fence andthe extension forming the other two sides of the triangle, said slipperbeing adapted to be moved transversely by the length of lumber adistance equal to the height of thetriangle. and proportionate to thelongitudinal dimension of thelumber length.

2. A lumber-tallying. device as claimed in claim 1 wherein theextension-is mounted for'swinging movement in the plane of the'table,"and means are provided for selectively varying the' angle'between'theextension and the'fence;

3. A lumber tallying device as claimed in claim 1, wherein means areprovided for varying the normal starting point of the transverselymovable slipper from the fence, whereby lengths of lumber of differentwidths may be tallied.

4. A lumber tallying device as claimed in claim 1, wherein means areprovided for urging the lumber lengths into sliding engagement with thefence as it approaches the extension.

No references cited.

